John McEnroe's antics on senior tour

I caught John McEnroe vs Michael Pernfors in a senior match (played this month at Albert Hall in London) on the Tennis channel. There was some good competitive tennis here. McEnroe won 7-6(3), 6-4. But McEnroe's ranting and raving and berating of the line calling was disturbing. I know some of this is for a show for the fans, that Johhny Mac thinks he has to live up to the reputation of the ranting and raving bad boy on the court for the sake of the fans, but in my opinion it wasn't working. If he did it with a little sense of humor it might work, but he did it with a sense of nastiness to the officials that just didn't go over. He should have probably limited his tirades to a shout of "You cannot be serious!" in mock horror and with hands on hips. That might have got a laugh from the fans and might have worked, but the way he did it, it was embarrasing and disruptive to the match.

Anyone else think this act, or the way McEnroe is pursuing it, is wearing thin and is unseemly.

Yeah, I love Mac, but his 1st set stuff, pounding the balls, hitting against the fence, directly berating a lineswoman--seemed a little tasteless. I love Mac when he brings a little spice to the court, but it seemed forced and childish this time. He used to have fun with it, had a bit of a sense of humor about it... but now he really just seems angry. Maybe since he's been playing more matches he's slipping back into serious player mode...

A leopard never changes it stripes. Few could deny that Mac's celebrity both on and off the court has always been based around his antics during play and the fact that he could back his mouth through his own ability. Although it seems put on or scripted at times, it is all apart of the show and the spectacle that Mac is.

To expect and suggest that today Mac should tone down his behaviour because it's wearing thin is to suggest that Bjorn Borg or Ivan Lendl (if they decided to grace the masters court more frequently) should abandon their own temperaments and demeanours and be more jovial because they are playing exhibition tennis!

Well I say that based on what I've seen of him in recent years in interviews, on tv, and in his book. He recognizes his behavior of past, regretted some of it, and pokes fun at himself now. He seemed to have been mello-ing with age, so I expected his on-court demeanor to follow his off-court comments. He's still got Old Mac inside at times apparently.

oh please, mac wasn't required to take anger management classes for nothing. mac's antics are a big part of his game of distracting his opponent. even at 45 he hasn't grown up. i once saw mac hold up play for 10 minutes while jimmy connors on the seniors tour. like who wants to watch that.

I read in his bio that it was against the same Pernfors at the Aussie qtrs where Mac instructed the chair: "GO F#@K YOUR MOTHER!" and was defaulted, thereby losing a last chance for a Slam final. John though mistakenly that he had one more warning coming. He blew that one and regrets it, not for what he said but because he had a real shot to go further in that major late in his career. As to his neurotic persona: mens' tennis needs more of this to survive today. Even the steroid and Artest messes are helping the other sports get media attention. Tennis gets none because of boing , well-behaved male players who apologize for a muffed toss. I'll take a Mac anyday for a Hewitt who is merely obnoxious. The last major airplay men's tennis recieved in the mainstream was when Lleyton made his racial tirade. The world cares more about bad boys than nice ones in logo shorts.

I read in his bio that it was against the same Pernfors at the Aussie qtrs where Mac instructed the chair: "GO F#@K YOUR MOTHER!" and was defaulted, thereby losing a last chance for a Slam final. John though mistakenly that he had one more warning coming. He blew that one and regrets it, not for what he said but because he had a real shot to go further in that major late in his career. As to his neurotic persona: mens' tennis needs more of this to survive today. Even the steroid and Artest messes are helping the other sports get media attention. Tennis gets none because of boing , well-behaved male players who apologize for a muffed toss. I'll take a Mac anyday for a Hewitt who is merely obnoxious. The last major airplay men's tennis received in the mainstream was when Lleyton made his racial tirade. The world cares more about bad boys than nice ones in logo shorts.

Not working LOL
Mac wins another close tennis match in strait sets !
Mac gets ratings, visibility, coverage and publicity.
You are still doubting his very successful ways.
We are all part of Macs success story :wink:

Surely no ATP player will risk sponsorships or endorsements by going Postal on court or in an interview. The Notorious Ron Artest, that's another story. But if Vince Spadea thugged it up oncourt a bit....................................nah, he's no Rios

Several friends and I attended the Sr's event at RiverOaks CC in Houston. We were the quest of one of the event's major sponsors and sat in his box first row behind the baseline. JMac played Goran I and acted like an ass the entire night. Screaming at linesmen and even taking shots at folks in the stands. I said to the sponsor, "Is this an act with him, does he think he needs to act like this to please his fans?"
The sponsor smiled and said, "nope it carries over into life. My wife ask for an autograph and he told her basically to "Go F Yourself." My, my isn't it a shame that in this day and age we actually applaud such behavior." Does anyone remember Ken Rosewald?

Oh but this is what we miss in today's tennis. Jimmy and Macenroe could make us laugh as well as be brilliant players. They were wonderful to watch and Macenroe won the hearts of so many of us over here even if at times his behaviour was shocking - especially for the rather conventional Wimbledon. They really were larger than life.

I can understand what you mean - but before Macenroe came on the scene some of the line calls at Wimbledon were unbelievable. You only have to see a vintage video of what the situation was like and compare it to today, whereby we have hawkeye, to understand his frustration - the umpires also made a lot of mistakes. For a perfectionist like Macenroe it must have been horrendous. The point I am trying to make is that many of us miss the sheer entertainment of what these two American players brought to the tennis scene. In contrast when he is now interviewed at Wimbledon for UK TV this incredibly conventional senior tennis player offers a very mature insight into the other players performance on court - and a very valuable one

I just saw that 2001 Roddick vs Hewitt. Chair ump made an overrule on the far sideline in the 5th set with Roddick serving at 4-5, love all. Roddick's Inside out FH was called out... unbelievable. Video shows the ball hit the line.

The entertainment value of tennis does not derive from the tantrums players throw. Even if it were a show of emotions that was teh main draw of tennis, that would still not call for insulting or disrespectful behavior. Despite what he has written in his book, Mac has actually not matured in the slightest bit. I also saw him in the Royal Albert Hall last December and it was just despicable. I don't think he is doing anyone a service with his behavior, least of all himself. The older he gets and continues this way, the sadder it is. He will end up as nothing but a bad parody of himself...

Well guys after what you say about Mac's behaviour, I'm mighty glad I missed seeing him at the Royal Albert Hall last year. In fact, I'm glad I haven't seen him at all ... nothing sadder than an old guy still behaving like the idiot he always was. Even when I see him commentating at Wimbledon he grates on me - there is something so abrasive about the way he talks. Sounds like he's a guy you'd rather not know.

yes mcenroe is who he is but one thing i do remember is when he was on top of the game people who never played tennis knew who he was and wanted to watch tennis , i loved to see him play not just for his talent but he added spice to a boring dish ...yes federer is a far better accomplished player but any one out of tennis has no idea who he is or ever heard of him ...i do feel we need more of something out there on the court to make it exciting ....

Watching McEnroe erupt is like watching a car accident, it is ugly, but most people can't turn away. Quite honestly, he is similar to a lot of New Yorkers. Abrupt, impatient and obnoxious. I don't have a lot of respect for them actually, and they feel the same way about me.

Yeah, I love Mac, but his 1st set stuff, pounding the balls, hitting against the fence, directly berating a lineswoman--seemed a little tasteless. I love Mac when he brings a little spice to the court, but it seemed forced and childish this time. He used to have fun with it, had a bit of a sense of humor about it... but now he really just seems angry. Maybe since he's been playing more matches he's slipping back into serious player mode...